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Rep. Frank: I Won't Drive 'Chick Magnet' Car

A rare and welcomed moment of levity occurred just now in the pretty grim and often confrontational House Financial Services hearing underway, in which the heads of Detroit's Big Three automakers are getting grilled as they ask for $34 billion in government rescue money.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said that she and her family had often given names to the cars they owned, such as "Big Blue" and "Goldie."

She then noted that a car once driven by her father -- former three-term Republican W.Va. Gov. Arch A. Moore Jr. -- was dubbed "chick magnet."

This prompted much laughter in the chamber, including from committee chairman Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

"Sorry, Mr. Chairman," Capito said, laughing.

Frank, who is gay, responded: "It's just not something I'd ever want to drive."

As a native West Virginian, however, The Ticker feels compelled to circle back to this point: Former Gov. Moore, who served more than two years in prison on corruption and obstruction of justice charges, once drove a car called "chick magnet."